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Video: Relive the moment Henry Crew enters record books

Published:
10 May 2019

Henry Crew has become the youngest person ever to circumnavigate the globe by motorcycle riding unsupported.

Arriving back in the UK on Friday, April 19, the 23-year-old is still awaiting final verification of his age (Crew pips the current record by around 30 days) and his trip (he more than doubled the required mileage) – but providing both are ratified as they should be, he will bag himself an official Guinness World Record.

A group of 50 fellow bikers, well wishers and fans met with Crew at Folkestone, riding with him to the Bike Shed in London, where his journey started just over one year ago. Kane Avellano, the person who has held the record since 2017 was even there to congratulate him.

"I think it will take about a month before it hits me," said Crew, speaking to MCN. "I still feel like I’m about to get on my bike tomorrow and carry on."

Crew’s route has taken him all over the world on his Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled with the route going from London, through Europe on to Russia, then across the ‘Stans’ towards Thailand and onwards to Australia.

From there he flew to South America, ultimately riding up the west coast of America before heading east then flying back to Europe and on to London. Along the way Crew has encountered almost every situation imaginable from sleeping in a prison in Pakistan to almost going blind while suffering from altitude sickness in the Himalayas.

"The longest and toughest day was in northern India, spending 16 hours in the saddle to cover just 130 miles. It was so stressful."

Crew has made the trip in aid of the Movember foundation, who work to raise funds and awareness of men’s health issues, after his own struggles with mental health. The question now is: what next? "Sleep," he says.

How does the record work?

The record required Crew to return home before May and to have ridden at least 24,500 miles – but he had more than doubled that goal by the time he arrived at the Bike Shed on Friday, April 19.